VIDEO: Military exoskeleton

[Celephais]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2007/11/27/yeates.ut.robo.soldier.ksl (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2007/11/27/yeates.ut.robo.soldier.ksl)

Holy crap that thing is cool.

[Fallen]

Getting there. Another 10-20 years before this is more than a toy.

[Gelston]

They've been working on this leg version for the longest time, made so you can hike a few hundred pounds without feeling it. I wish it would hurry up.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

This will be huge for paralyzed people also, I would think. Pretty bad ass.

Cyborg anyone?

[Danical]

...

NUTS

[Fallen]

Anyone else think of that fight scene in Aliens when they saw this?

[Danical]

Anyone else think of that fight scene in Aliens when they saw this?

Thinking the same thing.

[Whimsi]

It's cool but I wonder if it is prone to short circuiting via a low tech bucket of water. Tinman syndrome lol. Wouldn't make it so useful in combat situations if so.

[Gan]

I would also think shielding for EMP would also have to be considered as a counter measure. Otherwise neutralization could happen fairly quickly and inexpensively.

[The Ponzzz]

Pretty awesome. I'm sure water and short circuit failures will be hashed out if they aren't already. Couple more years and video games are real.

[Drinin]

Reminds me of the suits in Starship Troopers (in the novel). One of the covered versions looked almost dead on like the armor a terran marine wears in Starcraft. Definitely badass.

[Gan]

Think of it. A combat environment where a soldier's ability is enhanced in the realm of strength, endurance, and armament as well as possibly vision, hearing, etc.

Think of it, having an appendage with a 20mm autocannon and not blowing your eardrums out when you decide to spin it up. Think of it, electronic filtration of noise over a specific range of db and yet allowing ambient surrounding noise so the soldier can hear sounds which might indicate a hostile is nearby.

Yes, that would indeed be badass.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

I'd rather they focus on the healthcare applications, but I understand that the military is where the big dollars are.

[Atlanteax]

I'd rather they focus on the healthcare applications, but I understand that the military is where the big dollars are.

Just about everything that is developed for the Military (first) will eventually find its way into the Civilivian sector.

GPS anyone?

[Latrinsorm]

I don't see how this would help paralyzed people at all. The suit follows movement, it doesn't respond to nerve impulses or something.

[Sean]

Todd doesn't approve.

[Shifted]

i see halo in the future

[Celephais]

I don't see how this would help paralyzed people at all. The suit follows movement, it doesn't respond to nerve impulses or something.
Uh... this suit will help the military crush all who oppose, and their mangled husks they call bodies will frequently be paralyzed, as more people become paralyzed more funding will go into researching cures.

This is a very good thing for the health concious community.

[LMingrone]

I like the two models of the actual armor that could surround it. Looks just like robocop and a Big Daddy from Bioshock.

[radamanthys]

That's the truth. If you really wanna save people, you gotta kill more people. It's like a video game... the more guys you kill, the more money you get for upgrades to save your sorry ass. I mean, who wouldn't want to rid the world of all diseases?

Fitting:

Aperture Science
We do what we must
because we can.
For the good of all of us-
Except the ones who are dead.
But there's no sense crying
over every mistake.
You just keep on trying
till you run out of cake.
And the Science gets done.
And you make a neat gun.
For the people who are
still alive.

"Still Alive", Portal song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RthZgszykLs

[875000]

http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.62564d5f5b.jpg (http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?62564d5f5b.jpg)

"The Enrichment Center reminds you that the weighted companion cube will never threaten to stab you, and in fact cannot speak."

... and then later ...

"In the event that the weighted companion cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard it's advice."

... and then, later still ...

"There was even going to be a party for you. A big party that all your friends were invited to. I even invited your best friend the companion cube. Of course, he couldn't come because you murdered him. All your other friends couldn't come either, because you don't have any other friends because of how unlikable you are. Unlikable. It says so here in your file 'unlikable'- liked by no one"

[Ignot]

if you were able to buy one right now how much would you be willing to spend?

[radamanthys]

An Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or a Exosuit?

[875000]

if you were able to buy one right now how much would you be willing to spend?
An Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or a Exosuit?


Or a Weighted Companion Cube?

[radamanthys]

You could get one of those for not alot. Hell, I'd build ya one for the right price. Wield the box together, fill the bastard with lead (or depleted uranium, hee hee), you're all set.

[875000]

You could get one of those for not alot. Hell, I'd build ya one for the right price. Wield the box together, fill the bastard with lead (or depleted uranium, hee hee), you're all set.

After tossing the last one in an incinerator, it just would not be the same.

[radamanthys]

But it's there with you, with the cake!

Otherwise, ^Sad panda.

[875000]

But it's there with you, with the cake!

Otherwise, ^Sad panda.

the cake is a lie

[radamanthys]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo o!!!!!!!! But it's delicious and moist!


hee hee.

[Gelston]

The model shown in the video is for behind the lines use. Such as loading ammo into tanks and airplanes. Even that is probably ten years into the future. It'll probably be thirty years(at the least) before people are wearing that in front line situations, and you are damned sure it will be an armored version. Think Marines from warhammer 40k.

[Whimsi]

lol I think you seriously underestimate progress.

[radamanthys]

Especially in the military field. Progress != adoption. They have some crazy hardcore weaponry out there that's not quite adopted on the broad scale yet.

You gotta remember, 10 years ago, we were barely into the internet. 30 years ago was 1977... http://www.onmylist.com/category/shopping/Fashion_77_1

I mean... really.

[Celephais]

What.the.fuck is the guy on the right wearing?
http://s3.amazonaws.com:/static.onmylist.com/list_item_images/28809/PJs_list_view.jpg
... He also looks a little like Scott Bacula

Military adoption/advancement is rather fast... remember that movie "Toys" where they were joking about how planes would be controlled by kids and the military front lines would be remote controlled? Yeah drones are in heavy use now.

http://www.conservativeimage.com/toys01.jpg

[Valthissa]

What.the.fuck is the guy on the right wearing?
http://s3.amazonaws.com:/static.onmylist.com/list_item_images/28809/PJs_list_view.jpg
... He also looks a little like Scott Bacula

Military adoption/advancement is rather fast... remember that movie "Toys" where they were joking about how planes would be controlled by kids and the military front lines would be remote controlled? Yeah drones are in heavy use now.

http://www.conservativeimage.com/toys01.jpg

a better question is why is his hand in the other guys pocket? (it's not but at first glance it looks like it)

Hardening a system for military use is incredibly difficult. We put the first Advanced Dive Suit 2000 in the water in 1999. It was commissioned in Portsmouth, NH in early 2007. We aren't expecting to make another set until '09, and that system won't meet all of the Navy's desires.

We sold our UAV product line to AAI Corp because transitioning from a successful DARPA demonstration to a battlefield ready unit was projected to take 6 years.

I think Gelston's 10 year estimate is not that far off.

C/Valth

[Celephais]

I don't think the 10 year is too far fetched, but the 30 year for front line is a bit of a stretch to me. It might not be widespread, but well before 30 years, I think, if this system succeeds.

[Gelston]

Seeing as they've been working on the leg version for probably ten years, and still nothing useable yet, I think 10 years is a low estimate. Look at the V-22, developement of which began in 1981, and was finally made operational in 2005. They are just now getting to Iraq for the first time in 2007.

With something as revolutionary as this, it will take many YEARS of testing before they even give it to units to train with.

[radamanthys]

Actually, I think military Dev might be a whole lot like Gemstone dev. A whole lot of people with a whole lot of great ideas... that are held up in QC.

That said, imagine most of your electronic devices. I mean, an old ipod was wtfpwned if you even dropped it a little. In war, survival can depend on that device being there, when you need it. I suppose I'd rather they do all sorts of QC and get the most reliable stuff.

But it doesn't work that way, heh. Look up the M249, The Squad Automatic Weapon. Watch someone firing it on youtube. Then look up something like the Ultimax 100 on YouTube. Big difference, eh?

[Gelston]

Theres a lot of stuff involved with a new system other then just testing it and building them. Look at the developement of the Bradly, which has a pretty good movie about it with Kelsey Grammar.

Yeah, the military definitely has some really crazy, high-tech stuff that the public doesn't know about. Even if they had a final product, they still have to go through the massive amount of paper-work involved with awarding a contract to a company to make it, the appropriation of funds for the item to be made, and then how long it takes to turn them out.

[Whimsi]

This is a really interesting read about the progress of technology. Don't know if the author is cracked or not but nonetheless, interesting read:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0134.html?printable=1

[Gelston]

Yes, that was fairly interesting reading. And I understand the point. Having a perfected, or nearly perfected, model of a piece of gear still isn't good enough though. They still have to go through Congress to get money appropriated to the project, go through the whole contract process, and then actually produce the item.

Depending on the item, this could take a year to up to five or six years. I'd say at this projects current condition(Just based off the video), its not even almost in a finished state.

[radamanthys]

Jeeze, that article is intense. I have a Kurzweil k2500rs in my studio, too... who knew he was such a genius? Yea, considering he's been given the highest awards for being a great thinker, I figure he's not at 'cracked' status.

I suppose the thing to think about, considering that article... by the time the military approves the armor, there'll be far better technology.